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THE 'BUBBLE ROOM' AT HERONS DALE SCHOOL [MLD]

The Bubble Room is an experimental Art space where children who have difficulties in learning in a classroom environment can take ‘time out’ to come and work in a ‘safe space’ [their own bubble] where they feel less challenged. They accept the over-riding condition that they must make up any missed class work for time spent in the Bubble Room.

The kids ‘own’ and ‘take responsibility’ for the Bubble Room, both the material contents and their own behavior in there and they are developing their own rules.

This has been an extremely ‘empowering’ experience for them. The philosophy for the potential success of the Bubble Room is

“Art is to the brain what sport is to the body”

The style and development of the Bubble Room is based on ‘Room 13’ in Fort William, Scotland – visit ‘the kids’ website :- room13scotland.com. This is a mainstream school where the kids aged 12-14yrs now run their Room 13 as a growing, viable business enterprise.

As Artist in Residence in the Bubble Room I acknowledge that many of the MLD pupils at Herons Dale may not be able to achieve that amount of autonomy but if the potential is there – why not ?

In the first half-term there was a staggering response from the pupils. 469 visits were made to the Bubble Room – predominantly in break times and the lunch hour – but indicating a need for such a space even for children who are able to cope with classroom structure.

In addition the Bubble Room has made amazing strides forward with the one or two pupils who come during lesson time to ‘chill out’. One is already making approaches to local TV stations to promote the Bubble Room and attract the much needed funds for developing this project.

The Bubble Room will also make ‘art trips’ and invite artists to run workshops that are generated by the expressed interests of the children. They have already had a ‘wood carving’ demonstration and have requested Splash-painting [Pollock-style], computer graphic portraits, photography, stained laminate, DJ and Theatre skills.

The next six months will be a period of continuing experiment to try to discover how far a special resource of this kind can be developed with special needs pupils.

NIKKI BATTEN
Artist in Residence - Herons Dale School

BUBBLE DREAMS

Have you ever tried to fly
but the walls have held you
or tried to cry
and found no tears
now
in your bubble
you may live your dreams

to sleep without fearing
in cosy chairs
to speak and know you’ll be heard
to make charcoal drawings
or play with soft clay
to paint in bright colours
or write your own play

you may want to photograph
parts of your life
or fashion a mask
to strut round in
or take an ambition
and make it come real
in a film of your making
or taping

The world has no limits
if inside your head
you decide you can do it
No longer be led
by others controlling
your creative actions
and fantastic thoughts
just stand up and shout
this is me
let me out !

NIKKI BATTEN
Copyright 26-06-04

REFLECTIONS ON THE ETHOS

The Bubble Room has become a buzz word at Herons Dale School. A few very sweet pupils ask the same question every day - “ Is the Bubble Room open today ?” to which I respond “ Of course. It’s always open if I’m here”. The next day is the same and the day after and so on …. Such is the special quality of these endearing pupils.
Other pupils, who have never used the Bubble Room ask how it is going, whether we need anything, what we are working on at the moment – thousands of little personal interactions that make them feel part of its ethos.
There is a calm, a tranquillity, that settles each time a group or an individual relax into their art work. Ideas spring from their creative minds and there is an indefinable atmosphere of positivity, charged energies tempered with a relaxed joy.
Everything they have achieved in the Bubble Room has sprung from their enthusiasm, their empowerment from taking ownership of this Art space and their urgency in trying new things. There is a refreshing creative ‘madness’ in their sheer delight at the work they achieve.
As a writer rather than a ‘fine art’ artist I capture the Bubble Room ethos and events in poetry not in pictures or academic collections of ‘quotes’. The almost spiritual quality of the pupils’ social and emotional growth has knocked me out a hundred times watching miracle after miracle quietly emerge and it has changed the Artist as a person.
As a tribute to the 40-50 pupils work and to wind-up this inspiring project the Artist organised a fitting ‘swansong’. This was an exhibition of all the Bubble Room work since September 1st 2004 – May17th 2005 in The Barn Theatre, Southwick. The pupils were very excited about it. Samesky worked in partnership with the Artist on presentation of their work and running two workshops to make ‘hanging bubbles’. Hidden among the exhibits will be a piece entitled ‘balloonscape’ – a primitive artwork which is a tribute from the Artist to the pupils for their hard work and determination in making this Art space ‘fly’.

The Artist thanks each and every pupil
who has made the Bubble Room so special